Something covert's going on in Austin, TX that could have EV-car nuts dribbling Spirulina smoothies all over their hemp dickies in anticipation. In a shadowy corner of the city, a company called EEstor — founded by ex-managers at Xerox PARC and IBM — has reportedly developed a battery substitute that could spark a revolution in electric cars. Flush with seed money from tech angels Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, the company's ceramics-based power storage unit, it's said, won't materially degrade, will charge in minutes, provide a range of 500 miles on $9 in electricity and can be used for a range of applications including full-speed EV cars and hybrids. Considering that feature set ostensibly solves every snafu holding electric cars back from broader adoption, a Toronto electric-car company is planning to have an EV based on the battery system roadworthy by 2008. Is the revolution nigh, or will the weak be ripped and torn away. Stay tuned.